Victorville man dies in ATV accident

ADELANTO • A 56-year-old man died when his all-terrain vehicle rolled and dragged him through the open desert north of Adelanto, officials said.

Mikhail Ayrapetyan of Victorville went off-road riding in his 2008 Yamaha Rhino allterrain vehicle about 10 miles north of Adelanto at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, according to Officer Jeff Perez, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

When Ayrapetyan did not return to his friends' and family's base camp, they became concerned and began searching the area, officials said.

After about 45 minutes of searching, the friends located Ayrapetyan's dead body in an unincorporated area of Adelanto about 2.5 miles west of Highway 395 and just north of Buckhorne Canyon Road, officials said.

Ayrapetyan was riding at an unknown speed over a rough section of trail when he was ejected from the Rhino and became entangled within the left front side of the vehicle and dragged, officials said.

Paramedics pronounced Ayrapetyan dead at the scene at 7:43 p.m., officials said. The CHP is investigating the incident.

Ayrapetyan was not wearing a helmet or seatbelt, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

At this time, alcohol or drugs are not suspected as a contributing factor to the fatal incident, officials said.